Apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of filament groups

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to a process and apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile materials which comprises at least one treatment container adapted to receive a treatment liquid, guide roller means provided at least at the inlet and discharge end of the treatment container, said guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid and adapted to convey the material being treated below the surface of the treatment liquid, and intermediate bottom means which subdivides the treatment container into an upper treatment zone and a lower return flow zone, said zones communicating with each other at the inlet and discharge end of the treatment container.

United States Patent Flelssner I541 APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WET-TREATMENT OF FILAMENT GROUPS [72] inventor: Heinz I1eissner, Egelsbach near Frankfurt am Main, Germany [73] Assignee: Vepa AG, Basel/Schweiz, Switzerland [22) Filed: Feb. 17, 1969 1211' Appl. No: 799,843

151 3,681,949 1 1 Aug. 8, 1972 2.758.464 8/1956 Egginlt et a1 ..68/1 75 2,779,183 [/1957 Fornelii ..68/1 75 2,807,953 10/1957 Vergers et a1. ..68/175 3,058,332 10/1962 Hoffmanm. ..68/1 81 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 2,963 2/1878 Germany "68/181 Primary Examiner-Daniel Blum Attorney-Craig, Antonelli, Stewart 8: Hill 1571 ABSTRACT The present disclosure is directed to a process and apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile materials which comprises at least one treatment container adapted to receive a treatment liquid, guide roller means provided at least at the inlet and discharge end of the treatment container, said guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treat ment liquid and adapted to convey the material being treated below the surface of the treatment liquid, and intermediate bottom means which subdivides the treatment container into an upper treatment zone and a lower return flow zone, said zones communicating with each other at the inlet and discharge end of the treatment container.

11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS WET- TREATMENT OF FILAMENT GROUPS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile materials, for example the washing of filament groups such as tows which comprises providing several liquid containers arranged one behind the other, guiding said filament groups through a treatment liquid on the surface of at least one roller means provided at the inlet and discharge end of each of said liquid containers and removing any excess treatment liquid adhering to said filament groups by utilizing squeeze roller means which are disposed behind the individual liquid container, preferably outside the treatment liquid. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a continuous apparatus for the wet-treatment of textile materials which utilizes a particular type of flow to achieve the desired washing effect.

Depending on the material to be spun, materials such as sulphur, sulphates, acids and the like are formed by secondary reactions during the spinning process and are retained by the filaments. Therefore, in the production of, synthetic filaments it is well known to subject such filaments to various after-treatment processes after they have left the spinnerets in order to remove these undesirable substances from the filaments. it is well known to pass the tows as endless filament groups through several treatment bowls which are arranged one behind the other or to cut the tows to staple and to pass the cut fibers through the individual bowls on conveying elements.

In the well known devices in which the fibrous material is passed as an endless filament group through the individual liquid containers, operating speeds of 60m/min. and more are frequently reached. However, it has been attempted to reach operating speeds of IOOm/min. and more. At these high speeds considerably quantities of the treatment medium are carried along by the filament groups. Thesewater quantities must flow back to the inlet of the bowl. in the well known devices, the liquid currents created in the bowl are irregular, and as a result, a certain turbulence is created which results in an entangling of the filament groups'and in a tearing of the individual capillaries. The danger of wrapping around the guide rollers is thus considerably increased.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art disadvantages in the Wet-treatment of materials, for example textile materials.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the wet'treatment of textile materials wherein a floating apart of the tows and en tangling of the single fibers is efi'ectively avoided even at high operating speeds.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the continuous wettreatment of textile materials wherein the treatment liquid which is carried along by the filament groups is effectively removed and returned to the treatment container.

Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.

Pursuant to the present invention, it has been found that the above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and a much improved apparatus for the wettreatment of textile materials may be obtained by providing an apparatus comprising individual bowls or treatment containers which are subdivided by an intermediate bottom into two superimposed flow zones with openings for the passage of the treatment liquid from one flow zone into the other flow zone at the inlet and at the discharge end of the treatment container. in one of the embodiments of the present invention it is desired to perforate the intermediate bottom, at least in some locations, so that apartial liquid transfer between the two superimposed flow zones is also possible through the intermediate bottom. Furthermore, only that portion of the liquid which is carried along by the filaments is exchanged between the two flow zones at the transfer openings at the inlet and at the discharge end of the treatment bowl.

The washing effect can be improved if the intermediate bottom is corrugated transversely to the direction of passage of the filament groups or if the intennediate bottom is designed cascade-like. In this way, a pulsating flow is produced which is directed against the filament groups in an acute angle which improves the washing effect.

By the arrangement of an intermediate bottom in the liquid containers, a liquid flow through the containers opposite to the direction of material passage is ensured in the lower flow zone. By using a liquid flow which is opposite in direction to that of the material passage, a countercurrent liquid exchange between the individual bowls can be obtained in an effective manner by providing at least one pipe means which provides communications between the bowls in the lower flow zones of the liquid containers. The liquid exchange is thus produced by the suction of the preceding bowl and by the pressure head of the subsequent bowl as seen in the direction of material passage. The liquid quantity to be exchanged between the individual bowls can be regulated and/or controlled in an effective manner by varying the transfer area between the bowls, for example, by providing said connecting pipes with valve means and/or by connecting or disconnecting one or several pipes utilized for the liquid passage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein,

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows another design of the intermediate bottom; and

FIG. 3 shows stillanother design of the intermediate bottom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a plurality of liquid containers l which, as seen in the direction of material passage, are arranged one behind the other. In these containers, guide rollers 3 are provided for filament groups 4, said guide rollers being partially immersed in the treatment liquid 2. Furthennore, an intennediate bottom 5 is arranged in the liquid container 1 which subdivides said liquid container into an upper treatment zone 6 and a lower return flow zone 7. The liquid which is carried along by the filament groups 4 is returned from the discharge end of the bowl to the inlet of the bowl inthe return flow zone 7. By using the intermediate bottom of a specific flow in the liquid con tainer is produced, and an entangling of the filament groups as well as a tearing and/or breaking of the single fibrils is substantially avoided. The intermediate bottom 5 may be perforated, so that the liquid is not only exchanged between the two flow zones 7 through openings 8 and 9 but that a partial exchange of the liquid is also effected through the intermediate bottom proper. Between the individual liquid containers pairs of squeeze rollers 10 are provided for dehydrating the filament groups.

The liquid exchange between the individual liquid containers 1 is effected through pipe 11 on a countercurrent principle. It is no longer necessary to stagger the individual bowls in height. The liquid exchange is effected solely by the suction at the end of the preceding bowl and by the pressure head at the inlet of the subsequent bowl. The amount of liquid which is exchanged between the individual bowls can be controlled in an efiective manner by installing a valve in the pipes 11 which can be adjusted in a more or less opened or closed position. In' general, it is expedient to arrange several pipes over the width of the bowl. In this case one or several of these pipes can be selectively closed if it is desired to exchange a smaller amount of the treatment liquid. Alternatively, several pipes can be connected if a larger amount of the treatment liquid is to be exchanged. 1

FIG. 2 is a cross section of a-corrugated intermediate bottom 5' and FIG. 3 is a cross section of a cascade-like intermediate bottom 5".

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included.

It is claimed:

1. An apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile material which comprises a pluralityv of treatment containers adapted to receive a treatment liquid, said treatment containers being arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the textile material through the apparatus; feed means for introducing the textile material to be treated to the inlet end of each of the treatment containers; guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid at the feed and discharge ends of each of the treatment containers,

said guide roller means adapted to convey the textile material being treated below the surface of the treatmen: I' t id; intermediate bottom, means for dividin eac o e treatment containers Into an upper trea ment zone and a lower return flow zone, with said zones communicating with each other at the feed and discharge ends of the treatment container, said bottom means being perforated to allow partial transfer of the treatment liquid between the upper treatment zone and the lower return flow zone in each treatment container; discharge means for removing the textile material being treated from each of the treatment containers; and means for placing the lower flow zones of adjacent treatment containers in communications with each other.

2. The apparatus of claim I, wherein the feed and discharge means are squeeze rollers disposed outside of the treatment liquid.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting means placing the lower flow zones of adjacent treatment containers in communication includes at least one pipe means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, comprising a plurality of pipe means which can be selectively connected or disconnected.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pipe means is provided with valve means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discharge means for each treatment container includes squeeze rollers arranged behind and disposed outside of said container.

7. An apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile materials which comprises a plurality of treatment containers arranged one behind the other and adapted to receive a treatment liquid; feed means for introducing the textile material to be treated to each treatment container; guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid at the feed and discharge ends of each treatment container, said guide roller means adapted to convey the textile material being treated below the surface of the treatment liquid; intermediate bottom means for subdividing each treatment container into an upper treatment zone and a lower return flow zone, with said zones communicating with each other at the feed and discharge ends of each container; means for defining at least one passage through which the treatment liquid flows from a lower return flow mne of one treatment container to a lower return flow zone of an adjacent treatment container; and discharge means for removing the material being treated from each treatment container.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is perforated.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is corrugated transversely to the direction of material passage.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is designed cascade-like transversely to the direction of material passage.

1 l. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the flow of the treatment liquid between adjacent containers is effected in a direction opposite to that of the material passage through said treatment containers. 

1. An apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile material which comprises a plurality of treatment containers adapted to receive a treatment liquid, said treatment containers being arranged one behind the other in the direction of travel of the textile material through the apparatus; feed means for introducing the textile material to be treated to the inlet end of each of the treatment containers; guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid at the feed and discharge ends of each of the treatment containers, said guide roller means adapted to convey the textile material being treated below the surface of the treatment liquid; intermediate bottom means for dividing each of the treatment containers into an upper treatment zone and a lower return flow zone, with said zones communicating with each other at the feed and discharge ends of the treatment container, said bottom means being perforated to allow partial transfer of the treatment liquid between the upper treatment zone and the lower return flow zone in each treatment container; discharge means for removing the textile material being treated from each of the treatment containers; and means for placing the lower flow zones of adjacent treatment containers in communications with each other.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feed and discharge means are squeeze rollers disposed outside of the treatment liquid.
 3. The appaRatus of claim 1, wherein the connecting means placing the lower flow zones of adjacent treatment containers in communication includes at least one pipe means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, comprising a plurality of pipe means which can be selectively connected or disconnected.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pipe means is provided with valve means.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the discharge means for each treatment container includes squeeze rollers arranged behind and disposed outside of said container.
 7. An apparatus for the continuous wet-treatment of textile materials which comprises a plurality of treatment containers arranged one behind the other and adapted to receive a treatment liquid; feed means for introducing the textile material to be treated to each treatment container; guide roller means at least partially immersed in the treatment liquid at the feed and discharge ends of each treatment container, said guide roller means adapted to convey the textile material being treated below the surface of the treatment liquid; intermediate bottom means for subdividing each treatment container into an upper treatment zone and a lower return flow zone, with said zones communicating with each other at the feed and discharge ends of each container; means for defining at least one passage through which the treatment liquid flows from a lower return flow zone of one treatment container to a lower return flow zone of an adjacent treatment container; and discharge means for removing the material being treated from each treatment container.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is perforated.
 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is corrugated transversely to the direction of material passage.
 10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the intermediate bottom means is designed cascade-like transversely to the direction of material passage.
 11. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the flow of the treatment liquid between adjacent containers is effected in a direction opposite to that of the material passage through said treatment containers. 